Earlier this week, the Guardian reported on a poll, carried out for the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA) which revealed high levels of hostility to Muslims and dislike of Islam in Britain.
George Readings, at Left Foot Forward argues that anti Muslim bigotry is fueled by rabble raising groups and a press which fails to distinguish between ordinary British Muslims, and vocal Islamists and hate preachers: people like Bilal Phillips and Zakir Naik, who have been excluded from Britain by the Home Secretary.
However, there’s a twist. George Readings reveals that the IERA is fronted by Greek convert, Hamza Tzortzis: who is himself linked to Hizb ut Tahrir. And two of its advisers are – Bilal Philips and Zakir Naik! I can’t understand how the Guardian could have missed this important information.
But there’s more that George could have said about IERA. Its Chairman is old Ampleforthian and Jesus-impersonator, Abdurraheem Green, who believes that adulterers and gays should be stoned to death, and has been banned from Australia.
Hilariously, the IERA’s study proposes the following solution to anti Muslim bigotry:
Invite people to adopt the Islamic world view
Readers may spot a certain circularity in this argument. If only people accepted the political perspectives of Tzortzis, Green and Philips then they wouldn’t object so strongly to them. Of course!
Here’s an alternative suggestion. Why don’t Tzortzis, Green and Philips just shut up.
